I've always been a big Rocky fan and I've always felt that Rocky IV could have been a lot better. It doesn't have the best story, but IMO of all the Rocky films it certainly has the best fight. His match against Drago is incredible. Unrealistic, but incredible.
But the main story could have always used more character development, so I was looking forward to seeing the new Director's cut, Rocky vs Drago. I thought 40 minutes of new footage would also result in a 2 hour film with more drama. Sadly, it's not the case here. The new Rocky IV only runs about 93 minutes and I thought it was a big let-down.
The movie starts with un unnecessary long flashback to the moment when Apollo Creed decided to help Rocky in his rematch with Clubber Lang. Man, we all know this! We then hastily work towards the fight between Creed and Drago. Is the James Brown singing and dance scene extended? Why? It doesn't seem to end. And why is the dialogue missing where Rocky decides to help Creed but he knows he'll do another crazy thing after the Drago fight anyway. His response, "You know me, Stallion: I always think of something else" is a typical Creed moment.
Being a Muhammad Ali fan, I always loved the character of Apollo Creed. I still think his death in Rocky IV is difficult to watch (and kinda unrealistic). I understand that Drago had to be established as an invincible and deadly adversary, but why kill off fan favourite Creed? Couldn't he have gone into a coma and being awoken at the end of the film? That would have reduced the extreme (and almost laughable) patriotic ending of the movie.
Now this film was made at the highlight of the Cold War and I guess all Americans had a real hatred against the Soviet Union. With Ronald Reagan at the helm the USA was pretty right-wing at the time. So perhaps Stallone had to give his audience a good reason to hate Drago and what he stood for. Subtle it was not, though.
So are there any improvements?
Yes, there are. We have more moments with Adrian. She's very concerned about Creed fighting Drago and shows more doubts about Rocky going to Moscow. The scene where she says: "You cannot win!" remains heart-breaking to me. Rocky is a real ass of course for informing the press first about him fighting Drago in Russia. A decent man would have talked this over with his wife first. Adrian didn't deserve that.
Ivan Drago gets a little more screentime. In some moments in the first part of the film we see hints of what's to come. Drago isn't happy with what's going on and doesn't want to be the puppet of the communist regime. I still love his robotic boxing style. Dolph Lundgren did an excellent job in Rocky IV.
Okay, Paulie's robot is gone. Too bad a lot of Paulie is gone in this film. Luckily a lot of his complaining is still there when they arrive in Russia to prepare for the fight ("You requested this dumb location? No sparring, no tv, nothing?"). Love that.
Brigitte Nielsen has almost completely vanished from this cut. I actually liked her performance. When Drago is knocked down in the fight and she screams for him to get up is also deleted. I always liked that moment. And because she has a small part in Creed II I think it's strange why her role has become this small in the director's cut.
The one big approvement in Rocky IV comes at the end. Rocky has just won the match and makes a stupid speech about change. The audience yells: "Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!" and after a long pause the Russian Politburo with the Mikhail Gorbachev lookalike starts to applause as well. In this stupid scene they seem to admit that the brave American is right. In the new version they angrily walk away. I thought that was more realistic.
I think Rocky IV would have been much better if it took the time to include more drama. Personally, I would have loved to see a scene where they all hear that Apollo has died. The cut from the Drago fight to his funeral was much too abrupt for my taste. Stallone crying at his funeral isn't convincing either.
Adrian doesn't support Rocky's fight against Drago but after some weeks travels to Russia anyway. What kind of impact did that have on Rocky? We have a first training montage in Russia, Adrian arrives, and then the training montage continues. I would have loved to have a quiet scene where we could see what impact Adrian's support has on Rocky. It must have done him a lot of good.
I hope one day a fan makes a hybrid cut of both Rocky IV versions. Because somewhere in all the material that has been shot, there is a great film, perhaps equal to the first three.
But the main story could have always used more character development, so I was looking forward to seeing the new Director's cut, Rocky vs Drago. I thought 40 minutes of new footage would also result in a 2 hour film with more drama. Sadly, it's not the case here. The new Rocky IV only runs about 93 minutes and I thought it was a big let-down.
The movie starts with un unnecessary long flashback to the moment when Apollo Creed decided to help Rocky in his rematch with Clubber Lang. Man, we all know this! We then hastily work towards the fight between Creed and Drago. Is the James Brown singing and dance scene extended? Why? It doesn't seem to end. And why is the dialogue missing where Rocky decides to help Creed but he knows he'll do another crazy thing after the Drago fight anyway. His response, "You know me, Stallion: I always think of something else" is a typical Creed moment.
Being a Muhammad Ali fan, I always loved the character of Apollo Creed. I still think his death in Rocky IV is difficult to watch (and kinda unrealistic). I understand that Drago had to be established as an invincible and deadly adversary, but why kill off fan favourite Creed? Couldn't he have gone into a coma and being awoken at the end of the film? That would have reduced the extreme (and almost laughable) patriotic ending of the movie.
Now this film was made at the highlight of the Cold War and I guess all Americans had a real hatred against the Soviet Union. With Ronald Reagan at the helm the USA was pretty right-wing at the time. So perhaps Stallone had to give his audience a good reason to hate Drago and what he stood for. Subtle it was not, though.
So are there any improvements?
Yes, there are. We have more moments with Adrian. She's very concerned about Creed fighting Drago and shows more doubts about Rocky going to Moscow. The scene where she says: "You cannot win!" remains heart-breaking to me. Rocky is a real ass of course for informing the press first about him fighting Drago in Russia. A decent man would have talked this over with his wife first. Adrian didn't deserve that.
Ivan Drago gets a little more screentime. In some moments in the first part of the film we see hints of what's to come. Drago isn't happy with what's going on and doesn't want to be the puppet of the communist regime. I still love his robotic boxing style. Dolph Lundgren did an excellent job in Rocky IV.
Okay, Paulie's robot is gone. Too bad a lot of Paulie is gone in this film. Luckily a lot of his complaining is still there when they arrive in Russia to prepare for the fight ("You requested this dumb location? No sparring, no tv, nothing?"). Love that.
Brigitte Nielsen has almost completely vanished from this cut. I actually liked her performance. When Drago is knocked down in the fight and she screams for him to get up is also deleted. I always liked that moment. And because she has a small part in Creed II I think it's strange why her role has become this small in the director's cut.
The one big approvement in Rocky IV comes at the end. Rocky has just won the match and makes a stupid speech about change. The audience yells: "Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!" and after a long pause the Russian Politburo with the Mikhail Gorbachev lookalike starts to applause as well. In this stupid scene they seem to admit that the brave American is right. In the new version they angrily walk away. I thought that was more realistic.
I think Rocky IV would have been much better if it took the time to include more drama. Personally, I would have loved to see a scene where they all hear that Apollo has died. The cut from the Drago fight to his funeral was much too abrupt for my taste. Stallone crying at his funeral isn't convincing either.
Adrian doesn't support Rocky's fight against Drago but after some weeks travels to Russia anyway. What kind of impact did that have on Rocky? We have a first training montage in Russia, Adrian arrives, and then the training montage continues. I would have loved to have a quiet scene where we could see what impact Adrian's support has on Rocky. It must have done him a lot of good.
I hope one day a fan makes a hybrid cut of both Rocky IV versions. Because somewhere in all the material that has been shot, there is a great film, perhaps equal to the first three.